BOUND BY SCARS "You think I'm interested in saving you?" Axel murmurs, pinning Ariana against the classroom wall. His fingers tilt up her trembling chin as his cold grey eyes search hers. "Don't mistake my curiosity for kindness." Just as his lips hover inches from hers, the classroom door crashes open. ★★★ For years, Ariana has lived like a ghost. Bullied without mercy at school and ignored inside her billionaire home, she survives each day believing no one would notice if she disappeared. But when a brutal attack leaves her broken, her parents finally see the truth they had been too blind to face. Consumed by guilt, they destroy everyone responsible and take Ariana to a new country for a fresh start. Determined to bury her past, Ariana enrolls at an elite academy under a new identity, hoping for an ordinary life. Instead, she finds loyal friends, ruthless enemies, and the attention of Axel,the academy's cold, untouchable heir. Feared by everyone, Axel has never cared about anyone,until Ariana begins to intrigue him. Just when Ariana believes she's finally escaped her past, a fabricated recording exposes the secret she's fought to hide, turning friends into strangers and making her the academy's newest target. At a glittering high-society gala, Ariana decides she's done running. But when the scars she's spent her life hiding can no longer stay buriebd, will the boy who watched her break become the one who finally catches her, or the one who destroys her completely?

“You know, Blackwood, you are actually pretty when you are not glaring at people.”The classroom went completely silent.Seraphina slowly turned toward Rowan.“Are you trying to die?”A few students covered their mouths.Rowan only smiled.“See? There it is. That attitude.”Someone at the back of the classroom whispered, “Ooh!”Seraphina narrowed her eyes. “Focus on the lesson.”“I am.”“Then why are you looking at me?”Rowan shrugged.“Because you are more interesting than the lesson.”The entire class erupted.“OHHHH!”Seraphina's expression remained perfectly calm, but the warmth creeping into her ears betrayed her.Rowan noticed.His smile widened.“Did I finally make the queen blush?”“Keep dreaming, Hale.”“I think I will.”*****Seraphina Blackwood has everything people dream of—wealth, beauty, influence, and a surname powerful enough to open almost any door.As the daughter of Victoria Blackwood, the ruthless and brilliant woman behind one of the country's most powerful business empires, Seraphina has grown up surrounded by luxury and expectations.But being born into power comes with a price.At Hardwood Academy, Seraphina is feared, admired, and practically untouchable. She is arrogant, sharp-tongued, confident, and unapologetically rude. With The Vanguard beside her, she rules the school's social world without ever needing an official crown.Everyone knows her.Everyone watches her.And almost everyone knows better than to challenge her.But behind the expensive clothes, perfect reputation, and fearless attitude is a girl carrying a weight no one sees.Her relationship with her mother is distant. Victoria expects perfection from her daughter and has spent years preparing Seraphina for the responsibilities that come with the Blackwood name.Seraphina has learned to hide her emotions so well that even the people closest to her rarely know when she is hurting.Then Rowan Hale arrives.Rowan is different from everyone Seraphina has ever known.He does not fear her.He does not flatter her.He does not care about the Blackwood name.And worst of all, he enjoys getting under her skin.Their relationship begins with arguments, teasing, and constant challenges. Rowan refuses to treat Seraphina like a queen, while Seraphina refuses to let him believe he has any power over her.But the more they clash, the harder it becomes to ignore the strange connection growing between them.As Rowan slowly finds his way beneath Seraphina's carefully built walls, her perfect world begins to change.School rivalries intensify.Friendships are tested.Family expectations become heavier.And the powerful empire surrounding Seraphina begins to reveal secrets she was never prepared to face.For years, Seraphina believed that strength meant never allowing anyone to see her break.But eventually, even the strongest walls can fall.And when the person who has always been closest to her is taken from her, the girl everyone believed was untouchable will finally discover that some pain cannot be controlled by money, power, or a famous name.Because beneath the crown is not a queen.It is a girl who has spent her entire life trying to survive the expectations placed upon her.And before her story ends, Seraphina must decide whether she will continue living for the name she carries or finally choose who she wants to become.